


Musical beats, under the moonlight

by Ana_cant_write



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Performing arts to be exact, The summary makes this sound bad, There's like two curse words in it, an attempt at fluff, depends on how you view it, hopefully no angst, probably because it is, tsukkiyamaseceretsanta2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 07:07:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13476300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ana_cant_write/pseuds/Ana_cant_write
Summary: Tsukishima doesn't like his mediocre performing arts college, thank goodness Yamaguchi is there with him, (even if they share everything but the contents in Yamaguchi's special notebook).





	Musical beats, under the moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> My gift for Karina (http://kaphna.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr for the Tsukkiyama secret santa, hope you enjoy this 4k word vomit!!! (Sorry if it's not what you were hoping for I did my best to follow the college au but this was to good to pass up)
> 
> Thanks to yamababy (yamababyyamababy.tumblr.com)for the brainstorm sessions and Mayko (stormy-weather-approachesstormy-weather-approaches.tumblr.com ) for telling me to do my shit instead of playing overwatch

College Tsukishima deduced…sucked. For starters there’s the classes that start and end at the stupidest of times. In most cases the people that end up in your classes are some of the worst company you’ll ever meet. It doesn’t help that Tsukishima attends Tokyo’s School of Performing arts, a place where kids with enough money and zero musical talent can get in but hey, who was Tsukishima to tell them how to run the college?

 

The teachers here would non-stop pile you with work, the coffee shops around here were mediocre at best and the students? Probably the most annoying people you will ever meet. Some were loud and boisterous. While others musical talent was only limited to their insistent wining, some were just too boring and some were just way to enthusiastic about their chosen subjects (Like a certain orange hair guitarist that gives Tsukishima a headache).

 

Tsukishima’s composition classes were always an adventure. From the nutcase of a teacher to insane classmates that are just here for the extra credit thinking the class would be easy you would think the 190cm blundering introverted mess would have had enough of everyone’s crap. In truth this was a fact but like many things in Tsukishima’s life that tended to be a disaster (everything in his opinion) there was one thing stopping Tsukishima from getting up and leaving the classroom (passing would be no big deal for him, he’s a cynical genius). That something being, Yamaguchi Tadashi.

 

How would Tsukishima describe Yamaguchi? The aspiring lyricists who can create the perfect love story in only a few verses. The gifted piano player that put most orchestras

to shame.  Whose freckles paint his face like he was the sky itself? (And Tsukishima entirely gets that comparing Yamaguchi’s freckles to the stars is something that’s overused in love stories but what can he say when that metaphor is so…so Yamaguchi).

 

Yamaguchi, the one thing stopping Tsukishima from upping and leaving this mediocre of an excuse of a performing arts school. Who always leans a little too close to Tsukishima for what should be considered friends. Who likes to leave chaste kisses on Tsukishima’s cheek when he leaves leaving the blond as a blubbering mess and a face a little too close to resembling a strawberry.

 

Yeah sure, the two have never exactly established the line between friendship or something but Tsukishima wholeheartedly blames it on the fact that Yamaguchi is probably too shy to even ask him and not on the fact that he’s the one that’s shy on confronting the angel who has taken his heart, (thinking about that sentence makes Tsukishima puke inwardly). No, absolutely not. Tsukishima was frankly not a believer in many things (except that his college is filled with idiots like Kuroo and Bokuto) but he is a believer in fate (just don’t tell anyome he is) and he’s willing to see what fate has in store for him and Mr cutie with freckles Yamaguchi.

 

* * *

 

 

Turns out fate does not like Tsukishima (in the end whoever does?).

 

One thing Tsukishima likes about his college is the fact that within the college grounds there’s sound recording booths that allow any students to lock themselves in way from the ever annoying world. Tsukishima spends about sixty percent of his time here. Twenty percent is to college and to his small dorm room. The remaining ten is to the occasional drinking he does at the bar with Kuroo and Bokuto when they practically beg him to accompany them.

 

Tsukishima walks along he halls his messenger bag by his side. AS he walks he can’t help but here this beautiful melody from the workroom that resides next to his. He can clearly hear the distinctive sound of the piano, its melody upbeat and beautiful. Tsukishima can’t help but close his eyes as the relaxing beat brings peace to his body. He waits beside the door knowing that eavesdropping on a stranger’s work is completely out of character for him (if it was just some regular ol beat he would have simply continued on). Yet, there’s something about this stranger’s playstyle that completely enraptures him.

 

He waits for a bit to see if this mystery stranger will sing because a melody like that must be accompanied by a beautiful song. So he waits and when he hears the small intake of breath he prepares himself for a beautiful voice.

 

What he did not expect was a voice that sounded like _that_. A voice that sounded like a mix of a cowbell and auto-tune accompanied by lyrics that put most poetry to shame. To put it simply, this stranger could not sing at all. Yes, they certainly had musical talents that was evident by the music and lyrics about a boy who sings about this guy, wanting to hold his hand tight and cuddle. Who wants to be the stars to his moon. But hey sometimes you can’t get it all and this person was definitely way better than most people in the college.

 

With that kinda wasted Tsukishima heads off into his workroom of choice glad to know that the entire student body knows not to mess with Tsukishima’s booth.

 

When Tsukishima got into his favourite production booth he couldn’t help but think the skilful beat of the piano and airy lyrics remind him of a certain freckled boy.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Tsukishima knows he shouldn’t stay up this late. That he shouldn’t slave himself away on a track that won’t mean anything to his degree. That while the melody is good but lyric after lyric is just mindless nonsense, Tsukishima can’t help why he bothers persisting in it. A mindless marathon he’s willing to race for what result? A pat on the back from his professor and a thumbs up from his cat over skype?

 

With that charming thought Tsukishima leaves and heads to his dorm room. With messenger bag packed and equipment turned off Tsukishima walks down the hall defeat set in his shoulders. As he walks down he notices a spiral notebook small and littered with little stickers of stars and a sun that reminds Tsukishima way too much of an orange haired guitarist.

 

Curiosity spiked Tsukishima picks up the notebook turning and scanning it, in search of a name to who the notebook belongs to. The name is in a small print barely noticeable as if the owner wanted to not be discovered. Tsukishima pauses and readjust his glasses making sure he read the small kanji written down properly. There, in its decorated stars and sun stickers glory _Yamaguchi Tadashi_ is imprinted _._

 

 

* * *

 

_What do I do?_

 

The notebook sits at Tsukishima’s desk cover completely hidden from his grump of an ass roommate. A scholarship student talented with skills on any string instrument. (something Tsukishima refuses to admit aloud to him in person because it’s more fun riling up Kageyama that way) Though while his roommate may be a genius on the strings when his hands weren’t occupied with it well, that was a different story so Tsukishima wasn’t to fussed on him he guessed.

 

It had been two days since Tsukishima had discovered the notebook that belonged to his ‘I guess I could call you that but I’m in denial crush’. While the original plan had been to just drop it off to Yamaguchi the next time he saw him and maybe get to go on an actual date date not a ‘this is a date for best friend’s date’ if he felt lucky that day. That plan had quickly been ditcheded when his professor had told the class that Yamaguchi would be gone due to catching a cold. Tsukishima couldn’t help but scoff at this, _who gets sick in the middle of July?_  Thus the result being Tsukishima shut in his dorm on a Friday night.

 

Lucky for him, Kageyama was out with his boyfriend (well, not his official boyfriend he denies he likes the guy he’s constantly hanging with at nights). This left Tsukishima with the oddly endearingly decorated cover staring at him. As if it wanted Tsukishima to look through its contents and Tsukishima would be lying if he hadn’t at least thought about peeking inside with many thought coming to him.

 

_Is it a Journal?_

_Is it a lyric book?_

_A music book filled with rows and rows of notes?_

_What if it’s just a regular old schoolbook?_

_If it’s a journal, is there anything about me in there?_

_For a notebook, the cover is kinda cute and very Yamaguchi._

_Should I peek in there?_

The last question in Particular had been bugging Tsukishima. He by no means was a perfect human being in fact he’d very much classify him as a certified asshole. However, that doesn’t mean he does not know what the concept of privacy is. He himself is a very private person, never wanting others to know what he’s thinking. Yet curiosity spikes Tsukishima as he looks at the notebook now in his hands. He kinda wants to look inside. Wants to see what goes through Yamauchi’s brain, know what makes Yamaguchi smile, what makes him different from others and why he makes Tsukishima feel funny in his stomach.

 

So for another hour Tsukishima goes through his moral dilemma on whether its ok to go through a classmate’s book.

 

_I mean he did leave it lying around._

_But what if I look at it and he hates me forever?_

_I mean, I’m an ass and he probably already does._

_That’s a bad thought Tsukishima, he can’t hate you. Yamaguchi’s to nice for that…_

_Right?_

_But it is his notebook…_

_Shit, one of the papers fell out._

_Wait, are those words written in a green glitter gel pen?_

Dilemma thrown aside Tsukishima knelt down, picking up the piece of paper as well as any strays that may have fallen. With an adjustment of his glasses and a closer inspection Tsukishima could conclude that the scratchy, yet legible kanji was indeed written in a glittering green gel pen. Now that his mission was complete Tsukishima should have put the papers away and never have even thought about looking at the paper no more. You would think Tsukishima would do exactly that, but nope. Instead, he adjusts his glasses on the bridge of his nose and carefully lays out the papers. He scans the green glittering kanji, piecing the words together, wondering what this notebook contains.

He sits there for who knows how long. He knows though by the time he finishes reading the multitudes of kanji it’s near the call of a Saturday morning and only one thought crosses his mind, _studio, this, now._

* * *

 

 

So Tsukishima goes to the studio. He sits in his booth in the corner door locked and the world him nothing but an oblivion. There he strums his guitar putting his heart into it for once. He adds beats and rhythms, combining everything to make the backtrack that he believes the poetic lyrics of Yamaguchi deserve. He frowns when something doesn’t go right, smiles when he gets the perfect beat going, closes his eyes when he nails that part he struggled to find a beat for. As his hands create his mind wonders to Yamaguchi. The way he concentrates in class listening to the professor drone on about time signatures and different ways musical theory is used to make a perfect score. The smile he flashes at everyone he meets and the slight furrow of his eyebrows when it seems he just can’t get anything right. He imagines the panic Yamaguchi must feel without his notebook and his heart bangs at the thought but it soon disappears with a resolve to make this perfect.

 

He wants this beat to be as perfect as the words jotted down by the just as perfect human being. He wants that as you listen to the lyrics the music in the background will leave the listener with a bitter heart just like how the lyrics cry about admiring from afar. Only for that heart to soar when the lyrics hit a climatic beat about the person overcoming their fears and striding forward to their lover, not caring if they were rejected or not.

 

Tsukishima is determined to keep that theme going with this. Consequences be damned. He doesn’t know why Yamaguchi would write such lyrics or if they were directed to anyone in particular but he wants his message to get across to him. How when he sees him smile he can’t help but feel his heart flutter. It’s cheesy he knows but he can’t t find another way to describe the feeling without sounding like a pile of mush. It’s pathetic he knows but when it comes to Yamaguchi…well exceptions can be made.

 

In the corner of the production block a tall blonde hair wannabe producer works his butt off. Creating the perfect backing track for some perfectly written lyrics not realising the irony of his actions. When the sun rises the blonde slumps against the chair, body exhausted and worn from a proper lack of sleep. He has two and a half hours until his first class starts but for now he sleeps. He dreams of freckles, soft laughter and the press of lips against his own.

 

* * *

 

 It’s weird Tsukishima thinks. Throughout this entire relationship thing with Yamaguchi they tell each other everything but this. This being what they work on out of college. The hobbies they work on as owners of souls who want to make it big. He’s pulled out of his pondering when a notification pops up on his phone.

 

**Yamaguchi**

Hey Tsukki! Wanna head out and hang out for coffee now? My treat seeing how we haven’t hung out in a while!!!!!

 

Tsukishima reads it and he can’t help but chuckle. Leave it to Yamaguchi to send a text with an overzealous amount of exclamation marks. He texts a quick sure before he heads off, running into Kageyama on his way out. They exchange a quick glare each (because it’s tradition king) as Tsukishima heads out the door to make his way to Karasuno Coffee.

 

* * *

 

 

Karasuno coffee is to put to words, loud and definitely not Tsukishima’s style yet, he always finds himself coming back for the coffee (and for the fact that its cheap, good coffee). The café is decorated with a horrendous orange and black colour scheme. From Black tablecloths to orange cutlery to bitter coffee that Yamaguchi oddly seems to enjoy.

 

Tsukishima looks around, searching for the hint of Yamaguchi’s cowlick. Though, Yamaguchi is not so hard to find seeing how Yamaguchi is fairly tall I his own right so it wasn’t hard to spot him. Yamaguchi sits in the corner, hand on cheek, staring out the window, playing  with the studded black earing that Tsukishima got for his birthday (His heart leaps at the sight). As cliché as it sounds Tsukishima thinks he looks beautiful, (especially with the way the light seems to naturally light his face). Yamaguchi somehow notices his presence and turns to Tsukishima, “Ahhh Tsukki! Over here!”

 

“Be more quiet Yamaguchi. Do you want the entire café to hear?”

 

Yamaguchi rubs his neck, cheeks slightly pink in embarrassment and Tsukishima can’t help but think it’s cute how he does that, “Ah, sorry Tsukki. Come sit, I already ordered your coffee.” He beckons to a cup of steaming warm liquid.  Tsukishimas eyes glance down at the drink Yamaguchi has in his hands.

 

“Isn’t that just pure caffeine you’ve got there?” Yamaguchi laughs and Tsukishima’s heart skips a beat.

 

“Well Tsukki, you know I like bitter things. Why do you think I hang out with you so much?” Is what Tsukishima gets as a reply accompanied with a pinch on the cheek.

 

Tsukishima could feel his face heat up yet no matter how many times Yamaguchi questions him Tsukishima will always blame it on the harsh lighting of the café they sit at. As always Yamaguchi laughs it off and shakes his head.

 

“Hey, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi sounds more like he was asking him a question then actually calling his attention, “A few nights ago…well before I got sick and all I was hanging out in the production studio, playing the piano and all.” Tsukishima freezes thinking about the beautiful melody he heard that night. _Could it be?_ He thinks. Yamaguchi has always played piano just how Tsukishima has always played the guitar. “There’s this thing I own. A notebook of sorts and I may have…kind of lost it. The thing is that book is sentimental to me so now I’m panicking because I can’t find it”

 

Tsukishima gives Yamaguchi a look but in honesty he’s silently panicking because that’s the notebook that’s in his bag, the notebook he pried through, the notebook he created a backing track to from lyrics within that book. Tsukishima doesn’t know what to think except that Yamguchi is so going to to kill him now.

 

The boy in front of him sighs and looks out the window. Tsukishima clears his throat, “Do you, wanna come to the production studio with me?” A move like this is unusual from Tsukishima. He normally never lets anyone come to his chosen production room. His haven, a place to escape to when the world is too much but when Yamaguchi looks at him in the eyes his face in a state of shock before he nods and grabs his hands at such a fast speed as if Tsukishima could change his mind at any minute. For someone as beautiful as Yamaguchi, well he guesses some exceptions could be made.

 

* * *

 

 

The journey to the studio is filled in comfortable silence as the two walk. Tsukishima thinks that this is the beauty of their relationship. They have the ability to communicate with each other without any words needing to be exchanged between them. Tsukishima finds his and Yamaguchi’s hands accidently entwined. This was a common occurrence between the two and honestly, Tsukishima loved it. Unlike how stories play it Yamaguchi’s hands were not soft they were sweaty and kind of gross yet Tsukishima can’t help but want to keep holding onto it. The feeling relaxes him as if it’s a second home.

 

The production studio is empty and quiet. The only sounds of life being the two giggling grown men situated in a production room tucked into the corner, “Hey Tsukki.”

 

“hmmmm?”

 

“Why did you invite me here? You never let anyone come here, not even the professors!”

 

Tsukishima looks to the side his cheeks a tad pink, “I just wanted to show you something, that’s all.” Yamaguchi laughs at him, his eyes crinkling.

 

“Well Tsukki,” Yamaguchi chirps to him he leans up to Tsukishima and presses his body against his, “show me now won’t you?” Tsukishima says nothing but gulps and nods to Yamaguchi. He pushes the boy leaning on him to the side and slides himself to the computer, typing his password and opening his software program. The folder titled the imaginative ‘untitled’ turning the nobs and shaking his head when Yamaguchi offers him his headphones.

 

He clicks play and it feels as if his emotions are layed out before him, finally off his shoulder. (and in a way, this is exactly that)

 

 

The picture that paints around them is cliché to say the least. There’s a breeze in the air and the soft crunch of leaves in the background. There’s an old tree nearby, it looks well-built for such an old tree yet, like many things in life it weak and prone to many things. Like the friendship Tsukishima has with Yamaguchi. Though, Tsukishima doesn’t want to be friends. He wants to be more, so much more.

 

This is his beat to the words Yamaguchi wrote. There are no words, just love.

 

An acoustic melody from a guitar plays. It’s beat beautiful, each note played with love. The love he has for Yamaguchi, how he wants Yamaguchi to keep his hand held in his hand, his lips against his. Are they soft? Or are they chapped because Yamaguchi refuses to use lip balm, (“I always eat them instead of wearing them Tsukki!”).

 

Tsukishima glances at Yamaguchi whose eyes are wide in shock. Using distracted Yamaguchi to his advantage he grabs the notebook from his bag, still in the same condition as it was before.  He gently taps Yamaguchi ‘s shoulder and gestures to his notebook the original lyrics by Yamaguchi shown to him. Yamaguchi gives him a look before he glances at the notebook in Tsukishima’s hand, “Tsukki, is that..my notebook? The one with all my lyrics in it? The one I’ve been worrying about while sick!?” Tsukishima doesn’t do much but nod to him shyly and not look him directly in the eye.

 

“Look, if you don’t want to talk to me anymore because I betrayed your trust and looked in it when it was clearly private that’s cool. We can pretend this this never happened and I didn’t make this backing track just so I could say that I really, really like you and wish to be more then friends, then yeah. It’s cool.”

 

When Tsukishima finishes his ramble he looks into Yamaguchi’s eyes. What he sees is not a face that detests his guts or any action of Yamaguchi getting up and leaving. Instead, the look given to him is a gaze of softness, “Sing the lyrics for me Tsukki?”

 

“Huhhhhh?!” Tsukishima snaps, clearly confused at what Yamaguchi is asking, “Tadashi these are your lyrics! You should sing them not me.”

 

Yamaguchi does nothing but laughs, “Tsukki, I don’t think you realise but I can’t sing to save a life. Piano and this” He waves the notebook in his hands, “are what I do best.” Tsukishima is brought back to the night when he found the notebook and of the person who played the piano with beautiful lyrics and he can’t help but almost snicker that Yamaguchi’s singing voice sounded anything like, well that. (He doesn’t snicker though this is Yamaguchi they’re talking about).

 

 Tsukishima doesn’t say anything after that. Instead of saying anything he brings the now finished backing track to when it starts and takes a deep breath. Yamaguchi offers him the lyrics but Tsukishima shakes his head in refusal. He already knows all the words. When the familiar beat of his slavery begins to play Tsukishima opens his mouth and sings.

 

Sings of the boy in love with a guy who like shim back. Of the guy who was the absolute moon to the boy who was his beloved stars. How he knows that the guy will be there when the guy needs a hand to hold, how his lips look so nice from afar and how they taste so sweet when they touch with his own. With a final sigh Tsukishima finishes the song and, as much as he would hate to admit it. He’s scared of the way Yamaguchi might react.

 

Tsukishima doesn’t want to look at Yamaguchi’s reaction, but at the same time he needs to know. His thoughts are cut when he feels the feather light touch of fingers cup his cheeks. With the song done there aren’t any other sounds around them. Just the slowly hitched breathing of Tsukishima and the calm breathing of Yamaguchi. Who, might Tsukishima add was really close to his face.

 

“What are you doing Yamaguchi?”

 

“Nothing Tsukki.” Was all he got as a whispered reply.

 

Yamaguchi’s face is close, so close that Tsukishima can count the individual mix of freckles and acne across Yamaguchi’s face. His eyes flit to Yamaguchi’s eyes and then they lower to Yamaguchi’s lips. Said lips are getting closer to Tsukishima and Yamaguchi’s eyes shut. Tsukishima should panic, the guy he’s been crushing on is about to kiss him and he isn’t prepared for it. Did he brush his teeth the morning? Who cares? Not Tsukishima when when Yamaguchi’s mouth is so close to his. “Hey Tsukki?”

 

“Mhm?”

 

“I like you.” Tsukishima laughs at that.

 

“Well I sure hope you would, aren’t you’re about to kiss me after all Tadashi?”

 

Yamaguchi groans, “Shut up Kei.”

 

“Sorry Tadashi.”

 

The kiss the two share would have to be the best darn kiss Tsukishima ever had. The song continues in their hearts like the strum of a guitar and the press of the keys of the piano. It’s perfect. In the corner of the production studios in a ‘ok’ music college, The boy and his moon kiss and it’s perfect.

 

(And for reference yes, Yamaguchi’s lips were the most chapped thing Tsukishima ever tasted.)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading <3 Feel free to follow me on tumblr (https://ana-cant-write.tumblr.com/) for an dead blog and the occasional reblog


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